As summer and steamy weather welcomes its way into our lives, so do summer Fridays and weekends away. A girlfriend and I chatted away while she packed for an exotic trip to Morocco and we laughed about how we were responsible packers and every man’s dream as we weren’t likely to pack every pair of shoes we own to match the six extra outfits that we brought “just in case.” Well, except for that one trip I took last summer wherein my entire bag broke due to sheer weight and I was berated for the rest of the week about it. That was not only irresponsible packing, but irresponsible dating. And as Hemingway once stated, “Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.” But that is neither here nor there because more likely than not we will all be escaping the city at some point and we must have the proper bag to pack along with some travel accessories to keep our jewelry and cosmetics in check.

There was no coincidence or irony involved when the saying, “April showers bring May flowers,” was coined. Not only has Susan Miller deemed this April as calamitous, we are set for a very literally stormy thirty days. Weather becomes more unpredictable than the stock market or my PMS and one has no choice but to prepare for battle wearing the right protective armor. The number or umbrellas that I’ve left behind in a taxi or have been stolen from the courtesy bins at the front of restaurants is innumerable. My current umbrella, which is up for the taking outside of my front door, is a blue semi broken contraption given to me by a bartender at Bakehouse. But none of this means you need to navigate the rain looking like a wet rat. Invest in a sturdy and stylish pair of boots, a tailored waterproof coat, and an umbrella that you’ll be more conscious of keeping safe.

Which came first: the Birkenstock of the Teva? The answer doesn’t actually matter because they are both having fashion reincarnations this spring… much to the joy of some and chagrin of others. While the Birkenstock reemergence has already been happening on the low for quite some time now, the other favored sandal of the 90’s complete with velcro straps and thick flat soles has just recently filled high end department stores’ and designer boutiques’ shelves. Brands from Marni to Rebecca Minkoff have embraced and reinvented the functional over fashionable shoe with metallic leather, studs, and colorful embellishments. While they sure will make traipsing through the city a lot less painful for your feet, I’m not sure about the effect they’ll have on our eyes.

I normally carry a bag so large it’s a wonder I haven’t exacerbated my adolescent scoliosis. I mean, one never knows when one may need a notebook, business card, energy bar, or rape whistle (one must always carry a rape whistle). On evenings out, especially in the northeast when the weather turns to slippery slush and we are relegated to bundling ourselves in massive coats of wool, fur, leather, and cashmere to merely tolerate the bone chilling cold in hopes of drowning our sorrows with overpriced cocktails, space which is already at a premium in a city like New York becomes exiguous. Sure there are coat checks and clever cubbies cut into the backs of banquettes, but do you really wanna cram your Céline into a dark cavern alongside some chick’s Canal Street knockoff in the off chance that yours will mysteriously go “missing”? Just like when the meathead at the bar asks if he can buy you a lemon drop, the answer is, “No.” Instead of carrying your everyday bag that could double as a carry-on (and on occasion has), opt for the handheld version commonly called a clutch. Just be sure to hold onto it rather than leaving it in a puddle of condensation on the table credit cards et al.

And while I don’t need a man who borrows my beauty products, one thing I don’t mind sharing with my boyfriend is his shirts. Thankfully, when it comes to flannel, bigger can be better. The trend could possibly come across as a bit hipster ’cause as our new friend we picked up at Mas (you need to go eat there, by the by) said, “It’s always fall in Brooklyn.” (He lives there- he’s allowed to say that), but when styled a la glamorous grunge, it is anything but Brooklyn (as seen here)– not that there is anything wrong with that.